BubbleStream

Adrian Peters

Clone City

Synopsis

Clone City is a dystopian thriller that narrates the story of a city called Joypolis whose inhabitants believe it is the last civilized outpost of humankind. It is the first of a series of seven in The Joypolis Series.
The story begins at the time when Joypolitans believe they have overcome all the challenges of the past. In a world devastated by the impact of asteroids, they believe their survival was thanks to a single act of monumental importance – the decision to clone.
Three hundred years earlier, the scientists who founded the settlement decided they had to clone to avoid extinction. They argued that only by doing so could they create a workforce large enough to transform their settlement into a bright, modern city. Only this, they argued, would bring joy back into the hearts of a population that was failing to reproduce.
As the number of clones would far exceed their own, they thought it best to separate them from ‘true’ human by conditioning them for the duties they would perform. Combining ground-breaking advances in how language is processed in the brain with a program of indoctrination, they create a compliant labour force.
The repercussions of this act are about to unravel in a way that no one could have foreseen. First, the dismembered arm of a clone is discovered. Second, the murder of a high-ranking politician. A deconstructing clone is arrested, but the Head of Security fears something far, far worse…

Author Biography

I’ve taught English to kids, English as a foreign language and linguistics to university students. I’m working part-time now and I’m happy to say that gives me time to write. I was born in Plymouth, England, and, like my dad who was in the navy, I’ve done a fair bit of travelling. Presently, I live in Japan near the ocean. When I have a chance, I enjoy hiking in the mountains, swimming, gardening and growing, yoga, listening to music and, of course, reading lots of books.

Author Insight

The Setting

The creation of a compliant workforce has led to a society segregated on the basis of 'true' and 'manufactured' human. The latter support the high standard of living of the former. In fact, it was the economic benefits of the system that gradually overcame moral objections to the creation of a clone workforce. But the stability the clones have provided has prevented the shocks that force societies to adapt to change. As a result, Joypolis has fallen into a dream-like peace that goes against the rule that all life involves struggle.
Soon, it will be rudely awakened from its slumber.

Book Excerpt

Clone City

Sovran, the Director of Media, stood gazing out of the window of her luxury apartment. Beyond the city, as far as the eye could see, was forest – a green patchwork undulating far into the distance. Pursing her lips, she wondered how much longer they could carry on ignoring the Outside. The subject had become taboo and the very word unmentionable in polite society.

Ever since the catastrophe, the remit of Media had been to keep the morale of survivors high – even if it meant hiding the truth. And it did – the truth of just how devastated the planet was. But it’s different now, she thought. The Outside is renewing itself. Each year, the forest became greener and more vibrant. How much longer could they go on ignoring this? Surely it was time to venture Out? To turn the vision of the Founders into a reality by making Joypolis, not the last, but the first of many cities.

She sighed. The citizens would have to face their fears one day. It would mean unravelling all the illusions that Media had so carefully hung in their minds. If they didn’t, and something unexpected happened, all those comforting beliefs would come crashing down. It’d be bad, far worse than a controlled conversion.

And then there were the clones, she thought, pushing her hand deep into her glossy black hair. How, she wondered, could their forbears have accepted the production of a human underclass so easily?